Rearwardly removable refrigerator unit



Aug. 13, 1935. J. R. REPLOGLE REARWARDLY REMOVABLE REFRIGERATOR UNIT filed March 10, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENT J" 0/??? 77. fieylayle.

@(MA f/ ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 13, 1935. .1. R. REPLOGLE 2,011,078

REARWARDLY REMOVABLE REFRIGERATOR UNIT Filed March l0, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I John 7?. Fc-pZayZd ATTORNEYS.

I Aug. 13, 1935. J. R. REPLOGLE 2,011,073

7 REARWARDLY REMOVABLE REFRIGERATOR UNIT File'd March 10, 1932 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR 1702121 77. fieplagle.

JM Q W/ M TORNEYS- J. R. REPLOGLE REARWARDLY REMOVABLE REFRIGERATOR UNIT Aug. 13, 1935.

Filed March 10, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l I I I IIITIIPIHHI INVENTOR Jab 7i fieFZOg (e.

XTTORNEYS Aug. 13, 1935. J. R. REPLOGLE REARWARDLY REMOVABLE REFRIGERATOR UNIT Filed March 10, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet s 1 EL m a m m VF PT m. .W M

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE John It. Replogle, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Copeland Refrigeration Corporation, Mount Clemens, Mich., a

ration of Michigan c rro- Application March 10, 1932, Serial No. 597,95z

lClaim. (Cl. 62-116) This invention relates to the refrigeration art and has particular reference to the construction and arrangement of the parts, both of an insulated cabinet and of refrigerating mechanism for employment therewith, which will be particularly adaptable for small commercial or household installations.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a neatly appearing and compact refrigerator from which the refrigerating mechanism can be easily and quickly removed without its having been first disassembled or otherwise rendered inoperative and in which the refrigerating mechanism is so located as not to be apparent from the exterior of the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a larger amount of refrigerating space in proportion to the total dimensions of the structure than has been heretofore available in refrigerators, by so constructing and arranging the refrigerating mechanism within the exterior limits of a cabinet that the space occupied by the mechanism is not substantially greater than its overall dimensions.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the weight of the refrigerating mechanism employed in small refrigerators to the lowest possible value in order to reduce the initial shipping cost on such units and also the shippingcost on units returned to widely separated points of distribution, for service, inspection, salvage or resale.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the cabinet and refrigerating mechanism are totally independent in structure, thus rendering it possible to build each unit wherever labor, materials, technical knowledge and other necessary requisites of construction can be obtained most economically and from whence the units can be shipped directly to a point of distribution in shipping crates, cars and other transportation equipment especially adaptable to the nature of each unit. 7

Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction and reduce the cost of removable unit refrigerating systems, to permit their manufacture and sale in this and other countries to a larger number of purchasers than heretofore has been able financially to afford such uni- 1versally desirable product.

Another object of the invention is to so design an insulated cabinet as to provide a small space in a rcarwardly disposed and upper region thereof which can be made to house or accommodate a 55 properly designed refrigerant condensing unit and in front of which suilicient space will be provided in the interior of the cabinet for the accommodation of a suitably designed and arranged evaporating unit, for cooling the interior of the cabinet and for freezing liquids internally 5 thereof.

Another object of the invention is to improve the performance of a refrigerating system by 10- cating the cooling unit thereof near the front of a cabinet and adjacent the door opening therein 10 where the highest temperature heretofore has prevailed in refrigerators due to the greater rate of heat absorption between the door and the cabinet than prevails elsewhere therein.

The particular embodiment of the invention 1 disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration comprises generally a cabinet having a front opening therein closed by a door and constructed of internally and externally lined heat insulating slabs so arranged as to include inwardly pro- 20 jecting, vertically and horizontally disposed walls or partitions extending across the cabinet within an upper and rearwardly disposed region thereof thus forming a machine compartment within the limits of a normally shaped cabinet exterior 1111- 25 ing.- In this compartment are disposed the compactly arranged elements of a refrigerant condensing unit adapted to slide rearwardly of the cabinet through an opening formed in the lining for this purpose. Secured to the front of such 30 condensing unit and at one side thereof is a rearwardly removable section of the aforesaid vertically disposed insulating partition, and the front of which provides a continuation of the cabinet interior lining. Between such section and the re- 35 frigerator door is secured an evaporating unit for the system which is removable with the aforesaid removable section through an opening in the partition in which the section normally is located.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a fragmentary elevational view taken from the rear of a refrigerator embracing the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken through the refrigerator illus- 45 trated by Fig. 1 immediately above the refrigerating mechanism employed therein; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of an upper portion of the refrigerator illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 as it might appear in the planes of lines 5 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of a refrigerator embracing the principles of the invention but employing a different form of condensing unit;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view-of the refrigerator illustrated by Fig. 4 as it might appear looking in the direction of the arrows from line 6-5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through a rear portion of the refrigerator illustrated by Fig. 4 as it might appear looking in the direction of the arrows from line 6-6 thereon.

Referring particularly to the drawings, a' refrigerator i0, employed in practicing the invention, comprises a heat insulated cabinet consisting of three vertically disposed walls l2, l3, and I4 merging in a bottom wall (not shown) and having an open side for receiving a vertically disposed front door I 6. The rear wall i2, at its upper edge, terminates substantially below the side walls i3 and I4 and upon the upper extremity thereof, and in notches formed in the side walls I3 and i4 is secured the rear edge of a horizontally disposed partition l1. The forward edge of this partition terminates at the lower extremity of a vertically disposed insulating wall I8 which in turn merges with the side walls l3 and I 4 along the front edges of the aforesaid notches formed therein. The space within the cabinet H is closed at its upper extremity by an upper wall l9, extending between the upper limits of the side walls l3 and i4 and in front of the vertical partition i8.

The side walls i2, i3, and i4 are exteriorly covered by a metallic covering shell or casing 2| which continues upwardly beyond the horizontal partition H to provide the rear and side walls of a machine or condensing unit compartment 22 which is formed above the partition l1 and behind the partition I 8. In the rear of this compartment the covering 2| is cut out, as is indicated at 23, to provide an opening through which the interior of the compartment is accessible from the rear of the cabinet. The partitions i1 and 8 are reinforced by a suitable frame 24 as likewise is the front of the cabinet, around the door opening therein, provided with a suitable frame 26.

. The exterior lining 2| extends across the front of the cabinet and is there provided with inwardly turned flanges 21 which are secured by screws 28 around the inside of the frame 26 adjacent the outer edge thereof. The outer edges 29 of an inside lining 3|, for the walls of the cabinet likewise project into the door opening and are there secured, as by screws 32, to the inside of the frame 26 adjacent the inner edge thereof,- and in spaced relation to the flanges 21. Secured by the screws 28 and 32, beyond the lining edges 21 and 29 and extending across the space therebetween, are insulating trim strips33 which tend to give the refrigerator door opening a finished appearance and to prevent the conduction of heat from one edge thereof. to another.

The insulated door i6 embraces a frame 34 having an outer covering 36 secured thereto which terminates adjacent the refrigerator door opening in an inwardly projecting flange 31. Secured to the inside of the door l6, by screws 38 projecting into the frame 34, is an inner door lining 39, the forwardly projecting edges 4| of which terminate a short distance inside of the flanged edges 31 of the exterior covering 36. The space between the interior lining 39 and covering 36 is occupied by a resilient gasket 42 secured to the door and which is compressed between the door and the front of the cabinet ii to prevent the circulation of air between the exterior and interior of the cabinet.

The upper extremity of the cabinet II is covered by a removable top 43 having downwardly curved and beaded edges 44 around the four sides thereof which are held in proper relation to the cabinet by internally disposed supports 46. The top 43, which continues over and also covers the machine compartment 22, is provided with louvres 41 above the latter to permit the upward circulation of air therefrom, and a baii'ie strip 4! between the machine compartment and the space above the wall l6.

Secured to the top of the horizontal partition i1 and likewise to the rear of the partition I! is a machine compartment inner lining 48 which serves as an extension of the covering 2| around the remaining unlined walls of the cabinet Removably disposed in an opening formed at one side of the vertical partition I8 is an insulating wall section 49 having a frame 6| around the outer limits thereof and covered on the front and rear surfaces thereof by linings 62 and 64. The cabinet lining 3| on the front of the wall I. is flanged rearwardly as is indicated at 56, around the interior of the aforesaid opening formed in the wall, and such flange is adapted to be engaged by the forwardly disposed surface of a resilient heat insulating gasket 61 which is permanently retained within the cabinet thereagainst. The wall section 49 is provided with a notch 58 formed within the frame 6| for receiving the gasket 51 and within the notch. The wall section lining 62 also has an inwardly turned flange 59 directly engaging the gasket and disposed between the latter and the frame 6|.

Secured inside the wall section lining 62 are spaced and vertically disposed channels 6|, the opposite ends of which are bent rearwardly as indicated at 62 and are there secured to upper and lower portions of the frame Si by screws 63. Inside these channels are disposed the heads of bolts 64 which project forwardly through openings in the channels and thence through openings in the lining 52. bers 66, surrounding the bolts 64, separate the lining 52 from the outwardly flanged ends of supports 61 for a refrigerant evaporating unit 68. The evaporating unit is secured upon the bolts by nuts 69 tightened thereon against the brackets 61.

The evaporating unit 68 consist of a heat conductive sleeve 1| having bonded upon the exterior surface thereof the several convolutions of a refrigerant evaporating coil or conduit 12. The space inside the sleeve 1| is divided by a shelf 13 into freezing compartments 14 and 16 into which trays 11 and 18 are respectively adapted to be inserted. On the front of the evaporating unit 68 is a bailie 19 having an opening therein through which the trays 11 and 18 can be removed and inserted. Also supported by the baflle, and adjacent the upper extremity thereof, is a refrigerator thermostat 8|, the controlling element of which projec s forwardly through an opening in the baiiie indicated at 82.

The thermostat 8|, which may be of any desired type, in this instance is actuated by the pressure in a fluid containing bulb 83 secured by a bracket 84 between a pair of the suction line end convolution of the evaporating conduit 12. A power line 86 is connected in series, with an operating switch associated with the thermomat 8|, by a removable terminal plug 81.

One end of the evaporating'conduit 12 is connected by a coupling 88 to a suction line 89, while the opposite end thereof is connected by a coupling 9| to an expansion valve 92 which, in turn,

Heat insulating spacing memis connected by a coupling 88 to a liquid line 84. The suction line 88, the liquid line 84 and the power line 88 all project rearwardly through an opening formed in the wall section 52 which is normally filled in a well known manner by a plas- -therein through which the supports 81, secured inside the sleeve, extend.

Disposed directly across the machine compartment 22 and with the horizontal legs thereon resting upon the partition I1 directly behind the opposite edges of the removable wall section 48 formed therein for the reception of the removable wall section. The parallel vertical portions of such brackets are secured to the outer surface of the frame I of the wall section by bolts 91 extendingtherethrough. Extending from adjacent one end to another of the machine compartment 22 and secured by bolts 99 in spaced relation upon thehorizontal portions of the brackets 98 are channel members IOI and I02 which are adapted to support the elements of a refrigerant condensing unit I 08.

In order to secure the removable wall section 48 rigidly in place and to compress the gasket" "ing devices, not shown, to the portion of the frame 81 on opposite sides of the opening in the partition I8. Nuts I01 disposed on the outer ends of the studs I84 retain the upper portion of the wall section in position. In order to further secure the removable wall section, other relatively long studs I05 are secured adjacent the lower extremities of the bars I06 to extend outwardly through openings formed'in the lining 48 and beneatlr the horizontal portions of the angle members 88 where the outer ends thereof are secured by nuts III in openings formed in the downwardly and laterally turned ends of the horizontal portions of the angle members. The nuts I01 andl I0 are removed when it is desired to remove the refrigerating mechanism from the cabinet II.

Disposed directly behind the removable wall section 48, and secured on studs I08 projecting through openings formed in the channel memhers "I and I02, is a motor compressor unit I09 which comprises a part of the mechanism embraced in the refrigerant condensing unit I03. The motor compressor unit I09 embraces a cylindrical casing III having annular fins II2 extending over a considerable portion of the length thereof and in one end of which is formed a compressor cylinder II3. Legs II4, extending from the casing II I and in which the upper ends of the studs I08 are secured, have coil springs H8 confined between the lower surfaces thereof, and the upper surfaces of the channel members l' 8I and I82, and the horizontal portion of one of the angle members 88, on each of which one of the springs is supported. Nuts II1 secured on the lower ends of the studs I08, a considerable distance belowthe channel members IM and I02 and the bracket 88 are tightened during transportation of the unit to prevent unnecessary motion of the motor compressor unit casing..

In the end of the casing III opposite the compressor III are removably secured the elements of an electric motor, not shown, which is employed in driving the compressor H8. The motor is connected in-series with the thermostat 8I and the power line 88 by electrical conductors- IIB extending between terminals I20 secured in the casing and a control box I25 secured upon the channel members IOI and I02.

The motor end of the casing III is closed by a head II8 which is securedv thereto by screws II9 projecting outwardly from the flanged edge of the casing. A fitting I2I formed inthe head II8 connects the suction line .88 with the suction side of the compressor II8, through the interior of the casing III. The compressor section of the casing is provided with a filling plug I35 through which oil may be charged if desired. The motor section of the casing has a similar plug I30 for discharging oil from the casing.

A head I22 secured to the opposite end of the casing III, by studs I23, provides means for obtaining access to the working parts of the compressor II3 located inside the casing III in this region.

The compressor II3 has a valve plate I24 and a head I26 secured thereto by cap screws I21 and the compressed gas collected by the head I28 is discharged through a fitting I28, projecting from the head, into the upper one of a plurality of horizontally disposed and sinuously wound sections I29 of a refrigerant condenser I3I. The sections I29 are secured, one above another and adjacent the opposite ends thereof, between a pair of vertically disposed plates I32, the lower extremities of 7, which terminate in flanges I33 which are secured by bolts I34 to the portion of the channel members IOI and I02 extending laterally to one side of the removable wall section 49 and behind the'rigid part of the wall I8. Between the supporting'plates I32 the condenser sections I29 are provided with vertically disposed fins I36 which are properly spaced on the sections of conduit to provide surface enough to cool the condenser I3I by natural draft circulation of air.

The sections I29 are each connected in series at opposite ends to an adjacent section, thus permitting the liquid condensed therein to flow successively through the sections and to drain from Y the bottom section through an outlet connected to one end of a U-shaped refrigerant receiver I31. The sides of the receiver are disposed adjacent the lower ends of the plates I32 and upon the upper surfaces of the channel members IN and I 02 to permit circulation of air therethrough. The opposite end of the receiver is connected to the liquid line 94, through which liquid condensed by the condenser I3I is conducted through the expansion valve 82 and discharged at reduced pressure into the evaporating unit 68.

From the inside walls of the cabinet II project a plurality of supports I38 on which are disposed in spaced relation one above another a plurality of shelves, such as'indicated at I88. One or more of the shelves I39 are disposed between the vertical partition I8 and the refrigerator door 36, at one side of the evaporator 88, while the remaining shelves beneath the partition I1 extend from the door 36 to the rear wall I2. On one of the shelves, which is suspended between the side walls I2 and I4 in front of and at approximately the same level as the lower surface of the partition I1, is disposed a defrost- 'ing tray I4I in which water, thawing from the condenser I62 from a small portion I63 of the opening 23 formed in the exterior covering 2I at the rear of the machine compartment. Such opening is formed by supporting a baiile I64 in front of the opening 23 from one end of the condensing unit to another. The lower edge of this baiiie is secured to the outer ends of the horizontal portions of the frame members 08 by the nuts IIO while the upper edge of the battle is secured by screws I66 to the downwardly flanged edge I61 of a baflie I68 also extending from one end to another of the condensing unit but directly above the latter. The end of the baflle I68 opposite the condenser I62 is provided with an opening drawn across the condenser and motor compressor unit by the fan I6I is discharged to the atmosphere through the louvres 41 in the cover 48. The edge of the baiiie I68 opposite the flange I61 is provided with another downwardly turned flange I1I, which is secured to the upper ends of the vertical sections of the angle member 08 by the nuts I01.

It will be apparent that whenever the cendensing unit is removed from the machine compartment 22 the baffles I64 and I68 are simultaneously rendered removable from the condensing unit by the release of the nuts I04 and H0.

The condenser I62 comprises a vertically coiled conduit I13 which is'flattened out to extend in parallel vertical planes substantially perpendicular to the channel members IM and I02. The opposite extremities of such coil are secured in a parallel pair of supporting plates I14, the lower ends of which are secured by screws I16 to the outer edges of the channel members IM and I02 adjacent the ends thereof remote from the motor compressor unit. Below the condenser I62 and also supported in openings formed in the end plates I14 is a refrigerant receiver II1 one end of which is connected to the lower end of the coiled conduit I13 while the opposite end thereof is connected to the liquid line 94. The opposite I60 through which the air.

extremity of the coiled conduit I12, like the conduit of the natural draft condenser III, is connected to the outlet fitting I28 of the compressor I. l

The electric motor I60 is provided with a shaft I10 for driving the fan I6I and is supported by a bracket I18, the ends of which are secured inside the heads of a pair of the screws I28 to the head I22 of the motor compressor casing III. Conductors I8I extending between the motor I60 and the control box I26 supply the electrical energy necessary for the operation of the fan.

It will be observed that there is practically no unemployed space in front or to the rear of the evaporator 68 and that practically no more space than required is provided for housing the compactly arranged elements of the refrigerant condensing unit I08. In removing the refrigerating mechanism from the cabinet II, it is only necessary to remove the nuts I01 which permits the condensing unit I03, the wall section 49, and the evaporating unit 68 to be removed through the opening 23 at the rear of the machine compartment 22, by a sliding movement of the angle members 88 along the upper surface of the partition I1. I

While the structure as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form and application of the invention, it is to be understood that other structures differing widely from that herein disclosed are within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim. I claim: In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a fixed covering for the side and rear walls thereof, a chamber included between the upper rear portions of said side walls and having a fixed bottom and front wall, a top extending over said cabinet and said chamber, said front wall having an opening therein, a refrigerating unit removably supported on said bottom wall, said unit including a base, a pair of angle uprights extending upwardly from said base with one leg of each angle parallel to the side walls of the cabinet and the other leg thereof positioned at the rear of the first mentioned leg and parallel to the rear wall of said cabinet, said first mentioned legs being spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to the width of said opening and projecting thereinto and said other legs overlapping said front wall along the margins of said opening and being secured thereto, an insulated plug carried between said first mentioned legs and closing said opening, and an evaporator mounted on the forward face of said plug.

JOHN R. REPLOGLE. 

